Sunday, July 30, 2006

A Pakistan Army officer was among three persons killed when troops recently foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said on Friday. - Press Trust of India, July 28, 2006

Monsoon Session started and this is what the politicians did last week -Monday, July 24, 2006 - Lok Sabha adjourned over national security and rising prices; RS adjourned in memory of Vasant Chavan.Tuesday, July 25, 2006 - Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee admitted an adjournment motion on the Mumbai blasts.Wednesday, July 26, 2006 - RS adjourned over Pak nuclear programme.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

The Chatisgarh Government, in an attempt to wipe out the Naxalites, started a movement called the Salwa Judum in June 2005. In the local tribal dialect “Gondi”, “Salwa Judum” means the “Path of Peace”. But this “Path of Peace” is becoming more often the path to bloodshed, destruction and displacement. As many as 3,200 tribals have been recruited to fight the Maoists. Over 250 deaths have been reported since Salwa Judum was in initiated last year (250 according to official estimate but thousands if first hand reports are to be believed).E.A.S. Sarma (former Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India) wrote in his recent article in a national daily, "The counter-insurgency strategy of the Chhattisgarh Government, with Salwa Judum at its core, has unleashed civil strife in Dantewada. It has already pitted brother against brother and village against village."

The cabinet has cleared amendments to the RTI Act, which would mean that only certain 'file notings' will be made public. While the government claims that the changes will end ambiguity, activists say the changes will render the law powerless by only allowing for marginal access to government files.

Friday, July 07, 2006

As the Government probes the security breach in the Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) and the National Security Council secretariat, the CBI’s chargesheet in the Naval war-room case cites 7000 pages of classified information to allege how top secret data, including plans of Air Force Operations as well as Army Headquarters, were “compromised’’ between 2002-2005. – Indian Express, 04 July 06

Sunday, July 02, 2006

More than 550 farmers have committed suicide in the last one year in Vidarbha. Crop failures and debts sourced from private moneylenders at interest rates as high as 50% are the main causes of these suicides, which have continued even after Prime Minister announced his relief package for the belt.

Indian defence analysts and nuclear scientists have expressed great concern over the Indo-US nuclear deal, stating that it might compromise India's autonomy of it's nuclear defence program and undermine independent foreign policy.